


Impossible

by shuttermutt



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 15:58:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3140165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuttermutt/pseuds/shuttermutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Retelling of <i>Cinderella</i>. Only this time, no one is evil, and Harry just genuinely likes cleaning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impossible

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for kris for fun and then decided to actually flesh it out. Please forgive how silly it is. I actually had fun with it. Title comes from the 1997 Disney version of Roger & Hammerstein's _Cinderella_ starring Brandy because that's the best version of this story hands down.
> 
> For Kris, the love of my life

_Once Upon A Time, in a faraway Kingdom in a faraway land, there lived a boy…_

“That’s rubbish. That’s a rubbish start to the story.”

_Excuse me? Who’s the one telling the story here! I’ll have you know, I studied at the Storyteller’s University for three years!_

“Shut yer gob and tell it right then! Or I’ll tell it for you.”

_Rude little fairy…_

“What was that?”

_Nothing, nothing. Ahem._

A long time ago in a place not quite remembered, there was a Kingdom. Its people were happy and its lands prosperous. The King and Queen of the land were loved by all for their kind natures and their doting love for their children. The Kingdom was overjoyed when their Prince was born—unfortunately, for all the land was just and happy, there were antiquated laws about which heir could inherit the throne—and all throughout the land, peace reigned.

Across the Kingdom from the Palace, two years later, a woman had another child. A boy. He grew up awkward and quite strange, but well loved by everyone he knew him. He loved helping others and animals and music and his family. That he loved most of all.

You see, very soon after the boy’s sixth birthday, his mother married another man. That man had two sons, one of which was his through marriage, one through birth. The three boys grew very close and became the best of friends, even if sometimes they teased their youngest brother and played pranks on him. The two elder boys, Louis the oldest and Liam the middle, were rambunctious and ambitious and had plans for their lives outside of their small village. As they all grew up, Louis and Liam became more obsessed with striking out on their own and having adventures, and their youngest brother grew to love his home more and more, finding comfort in the simple acts of cleaning and baking.

“Cinderharry, Cinderharry!” a group of boys cried out, pushing a curly-haired boy into the dust. “Is the baby going to cry?” the biggest of the boys asked, standing over the fallen boy with hands on his hips and a superior look on his face.

“Hey! Leave him alone!” Liam, who was quite big and muscular for a lad his age, ran up with Louis at his heels, glaring at the group of boys. He was known to be quite a fierce fighter, and Louis fought dirty, so the boys knew they had to leave at once. It wasn’t worth it.

Louis helped the other boy get back up and brushed the dirt from his apron as the other boys ran away. “You okay?”

The boy frowned and ran his hands through his curls, dislodging some muck. “I don’t know why they call me that. My name is Harry, how could they get that confused?”

Liam laughed and wiped a bit of cinder ash from Harry’s cheek. “Probably because you look like you sleep in the fireplace half the time, you’re so covered in ash.” He put his arm around Harry’s shoulders and led him along the way to their house. “You know they’re not the brightest lads in the town.”

“Says you,” Louis said with a snort. That got them squabbling and pushing at one another as they made their way home, but Harry was used to it by now. His brothers were a rambunctious sort.

“We’ve got gooseberry pie waiting for us at home,” he said happily. Gooseberry wasn’t his favourite, but it was quite good. He’d perfected the recipe with his mother before she and Harry’s step-father had gone on a long vacation to visit various members of their family far-flung across the Kingdom.

Now it was just Harry and his brothers. Step-brothers, he always forgot. But they felt as close to Harry as real brothers, especially since they defended his weird ways to the mean village boys and people who said Harry was too strange. Harry wasn’t strange. He just got lost in his own world, sometimes.

He was unlocking the front door to their home when he tuned back in to Louis and Liam’s conversation.

“I heard it’s going to be the most lavish event of the entire decade,” Louis said. “People invited from all around the Kingdom, even from neighbouring realms. It’s going to be the most talked-about event of our lives, no doubt.”

Liam frowned. “Can you attend even if you don’t plan on trying for it?”

Louis scoffed at him. “You won’t try? You’d become the second most powerful person in the Kingdom once he ascended!”

“Well, I don’t particularly swing that way…”

Harry stopped listening then, smelling the faintest hint of smoke. “My pie!” he cried out, rushing to the kitchen. He had no clue what his brothers were even talking about, not that it mattered. His pie might be burnt!

Luckily he saved it with just the tiniest bit of black around the edges of the crust. He cut them off before serving the pie after dinner, pleased with his success and the way the boys fell on the pie like they were starving.

-

What Harry had failed to realise was that Louis and Liam were talking about something that had the entire Kingdom in a tizzy.

The King and Queen were worried about their son, the Prince. He didn’t seem to like doing princely things, like attend meetings about the state, or practice war games. He liked painting and reading and spending time with the royal menagerie. He didn’t even seem to care to find his future Queen—“Or King, mum, honestly, you can’t just assume the person I fall in love with will be a woman.”

“Oh, but why do you have to care so much about falling in _love_? Your father and I fell in love after we were wed!”

“There’s no way, that’s so old-fashioned. I want to _love_ the person I marry, before I marry them.”

“Be that as it may, young man, I don’t see you actively _looking_ for love, now do I?”

Zayn sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning his head on his hand. They were supposed to be having dinner, but his mother had ambushed him with talk of marriage again. He’d much rather be sleeping.

“Your mother has a point, son,” the King said as he patted his wife’s hand. “You do have a duty to your Kingdom to marry. The line must continue.”

“Of course, father.” Zayn had heard it all before, he couldn’t stomach going over it again.

“So you agree, then?” His mother sounds devious, like she’s gotten away with something Zayn won’t like.

“What?”

“The ball! We’ll host a ball for you to find the love of your life and get married! We’ll invite all the available men and women of the Kingdom and you can choose whomever you want to marry!”

“I don’t want a ball!”

“Oh, but we’ve already sent out all the invitations and everything! Everyone is so excited. They’d be so disappointed if we cancelled.”

Zayn buried his face in his hands. “And if I find no one at this ball?”

“Then we will leave you to find the love you seek on your own,” his father said peaceably even though his mum frowned.

“Yes, yes, that, then. But you must make an actual effort, or we’ll have to host another ball!”

“If it will make you happy, I shall do as my Queen pleases,” Zayn said softly. His mum clapped her hands while his father smiled proudly.

He already regretted everything.

-

And so the village turned frantic with plans for the ball that would be held one week hence at the Palace. Louis and Liam talked about the ball often, what their plans were for it. Neither of them particularly cared about marrying a man, but they could use the opportunity to network—“And possibly find a wife of my own!” “Will you get over that, we’re going to find business partners!”—and find a way to finance their adventures.

Harry is so busy with his own gardening and baking and cleaning that he didn’t even really notice. He also spent a whole afternoon being chased by one of the goats that lived in the back field and getting trapped up a tree until the goat got bored and left. 

On the night of the great ball, Harry went to the basement to find an art project he’d been working on months ago. He hadn’t even been paying attention when the door shut behind him, but when he tried it later after giving up on finding what he was looking for, he found it locked.

“Oh,” he said, frowning. He rattled the doorknob again but it didn’t change. “Well then.” He put his hands on his hips for a moment before shrugging and going back down the stairs. There was a book he’d been keen on reading down there he’d seen in a box somewhere.

Louis and Liam both call for him, but they’re far too busy preparing themselves to truly look. They figured he's off having one of his goat adventures and go on without him; they won’t get another opportunity like this probably ever. They had to get there with enough time to find someone to finance their business ideas.

Harry had his head buried in his book, reading over a poem for the second time, trying to really understand it when someone cleared their throat. He looked up, startled, to see a boy standing there wearing a dark green three-piece suit.

“Hello? Sorry, who are you? Are you lost?”

The lad squinted at him. “Why the fuck aren’t ya at the ball? Don’t you want to go? Why haven’t you wished for it yet?”

Harry blinked. “What? What ball?”

“You’re fuckin’ terrible at this aren’t you?” The boy sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m Niall, your magical godfather. Here to help you get to the ball? That’s how this typically goes.”

Harry’s eyes went wide. “You’re my fairy godfather?”

“Excuse me, I’m no fairy, thank you. Just because I have magic doesn’t make me a fairy. That’s very rude of you to assume.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“That’s neither here nor there, is it? Why are we still in this basement, it’s too cold, let’s go.”  
Niall freed them from the basement with a wave of his hand. “Now,” he said once they were comfortably in the living room. “Do you want to go to the ball with all the rest?” 

Harry thought about it for a while. “It seems quite rude to show up so late to a party isn't it? Maybe I shouldn't go...” 

Niall rolled his eyes so hard they hurt. “Well you were invited. Every available man and woman was invited. Some had to travel a long way so they're probably still arriving.” Niall talked slowly and Harry nodded, looking serious. 

“Should I bring a gift?” 

Niall sighed. “For the Prince of the Kingdom. A gift for the one man in the land that has any and everything he could possibly desire.”

Harry nodded and looked hopeful. Niall couldn’t even be mad at him, he looked so earnest. “You could always bring a pie. I hear he likes pies. You do that, don’t you?” 

Immediately, Harry perked up. “I can do that! I've got a nice Apple baking right now, d'you think that'll do?” 

Niall waved him away to get it prepared and rubbed the tension away from his forehead. It suddenly ached quite fiercely. When Harry came back with a glass dish full of quite good smelling pie, Niall nods. “Right. And now for the clothes.” He waved his hand and Harry’s skinnies and shirt turned into a pair of fitted, creased black trousers and a white silk shirt that was unbuttoned to his naval. Niall looked at him, then at his own hands. “That’s what you wanted to look like?”

Harry looked down at himself, beaming and quite pleased. “This is gorgeous, thank you! Wow, your magic is incredible.” 

“It is,” Niall said, chest puffing up with pride. He snapped his fingers and Harry’s worn, scuffed boots turned into a pair of dazzling boots covered in silver glitter. He frowned and then remembered the last detail. With a wave of his hand, a silver mask appeared in Harry’s hand.“Now that that’s done, we need to find you some transport.”

-

 

The made it to the ball, _eventually_ , but Harry doesn't agree to Niall turning his prized pumpkin into a carriage and he thinks it's cruel to change animals into other animals, so there goes Niall's original plan.

“I’ve been growing this pumpkin for so long, it’s definitely going to win at the fair this year. I can’t risk it!” Harry wailed. He also held his old cat in his arms, keeping her away from Niall’s gaze. "She doesn’t want to be a horse! She likes being a cat!”

Niall finally gave up, he couldn’t deal with Harry’s blubbering. So they walked, and then eventually a lady passed by and let them hop into the back of her ox cart since she was going to the palace anyway. Niall wasn’t very good at transporting other people with magic, it was his one weakness.  
They were the last to arrive and Niall was so fed up and frustrated that he stayed, even though he wasn’t technically supposed to. He needed a pint or twenty after all that. Niall left Harry in the front entrance by himself, not even announced because the herald was drunk off somewhere else and Niall was determined to catch up.

So Harry just stood there with his pie and his fancy outfit and his mask, unsure who to give his gift to, or where he should go. Surely, he couldn’t just stand there, gaping at the lovely decorations and the beautiful guests dancing in the ballroom. He was beginning to panic when suddenly there was a boy about his age at his elbow, leaning in to inhale the scent of the pie. 

“That smells delicious. Why do you have it?” He was quite lovely, with long lashes and a perfectly tailored suit. 

Harry frowned at him. “It's a gift for the host of the party. I don't know where he is or where to put this.” 

The boy laughed and reached out, scooping up some of the pie with his finger and popping it into his mouth. Harry was shocked. “Mmmm, this is good.”

“Well I can't give it to him now that you've gone and stuck your finger in it, can I!” Harry says hotly, looking down at the clear finger well in his perfectly baked pie. The boy just laughed again. 

A waiter passed by then and the bloke reached out to take two forks and hand one to Harry. He was so free with other people’s things! “Since I've already ruined it, how about we go to the garden and finish it?” 

Harry felt his mouth tug down into a frown again. “You're so forward. We've never met before have we?” 

“I don't think so. I would have remembered seeing you.” 

He's not wearing a mask but Harry didn’t recognise him. He was certainly quite beautiful, with his long dark hair and gorgeous eyes, for all he was sort of rude and entitled. The pie was already ruined and there was no use in it going to waste, so Harry shrugged. 

“Okay, then.”

-

Harry and the bloke—“you can call me Zed, if you'd like”—spent hours in the garden, talking about all sorts of things. Zed let Harry ramble on about what he did at the house and the adventurous mishaps he got up to with goats. Zed was somewhat silly and hugely funny and they finished the pie between just the two of them in record time. Harry laughed more than he ever thought he would at an event like this. He didn’t even miss not getting to dance in the ballroom, or try the different foods that must have been on offer. It would have been nice to see how his brothers were getting on, but he’d completely forgotten about them as the night went on.

The clock striking midnight and ringing out startled them both into realising how long they’d been outside together. Just as Harry had thought maybe he would like to kiss Zed, Niall popped up out of nowhere, shouting and looking drunk. 

“You've got to go! The clock! The magic!” 

Harry had no clue what was going on, but somehow Niall managed to drag him away over his protests. It was as he was being pulled away that Zed shouted, “but wait! I don't know your name!” 

Niall's transport magic skills must only come out when he was drunk because suddenly they were at Harry's house and Harry was wearing his ripped up shirt and the head scarf he reserved for cleaning. Niall was apologising, saying something about magic having a time limit for the day, but Harry didn’t listen. It felt as though his heart hurt quite a bit, like he’d been punched very hard.

Harry was surprised by how sad he felt now he was back at home, quilt pulled up over his head and heart beating fast. He hadn't even done anything; hadn't been at the ball long enough to dance or even show off his extravagant outfit and glossy curls. He'd just spent the night with Zed. He realised then, that he was missing Zed and his honey coloured eyes. Harry didn’t think anyone had ever looked so happy eating his pies.

His brothers both came home, complaining loudly about a Prince that didn't even show up to his own party and Harry was glad he hadn’t stuck around to wait for him. At least Zed appreciated his efforts. Liam and Louis both popped in to see him, gave him pecks on the cheek and tucked him into bed properly. Harry feigned some mild illness and they cooed a bit before going on their way. Really, he just felt sorry for himself and a bit miffed at Niall, though not mad. Without him, Harry never would have even met Zed. Niall had disappeared with a last apology but Harry still gave him a goodbye hug, because he was polite.

Life returned slowly to normal. Liam and Louis talked about some partner they’d met at the ball, some scheme they were all going to get up to. Harry barely heard any of it; he was so occupied with thoughts of Zed. Harry treasured meeting Zed, it felt like so much time had passed that it wasn't even real. 

He busied himself with his housework, cooked and cleaned until the house fairly shone from it. He wanted to make another pie but he realised he'd left his favourite glass pie dish at the ball. For a mad moment he hoped Zed kept it to remember him by. 

-

Louis and Liam were all atwitter about some rumours regarding a Kingdom-wide search or some such, but Harry didn’t even notice. He'd been too busy sighing over Zed and getting tricked by the goats in the back field. It wasn’t until a royal carriage made its way up the drive that Harry even sort of paid attention. A footman came into the house and he was saying something, but all Harry could focus on was what was in his hands.

“My pie dish!” he shouted, rushing forward and grabbing it from the startled man while his brothers shouted his name. 

“I thought I'd never see it again! It was a family heirloom, you see—” 

“It really is you,” someone whispered, awed. 

Harry looked up, startled. It was _Zed_. “Zed?” 

“Excuse me, that is his royal highness, Prince Zayn Malik you are addressing, a little respect—!” 

“I never thought I'd see you again,” Harry said softly, ignoring the man. “You're the Prince?”

Zed, Zayn, grinned sheepishly. “The ball wasn't exactly my idea in the first place so I was ditching when I ran into you. But I had such a great time, when you left...” He trailed off and looked at the pie dish in Harry's hand. “That's all I had left of you. So I took up a great search of the Kingdom looking for you. So many claimed it was their pie dish, but none of their pies tasted like yours.” 

“Well no, of course not, they wouldn't have my secret recipe—” 

“Will you marry me?” 

Harry gasped and the smiled. “I have to get to know you better first!” 

“Harry!” Louis cried out.

“You can’t say no to the Prince!” Liam finished. 

But Zayn just smiled, looking fond. “Of course. We'll get to it right away.”

-

And they did get to know each other, spending most of their days by each other’s sides. Zayn had Princely things to do, of course, and Harry had his own interests to spend his time on. But, a year after that fatal ball, when Zayn asked him once more to marry him, Harry had no trouble saying yes.

And they lived Happily Ever After…

“Excuse me you're forgetting the parts with the most important characters!”

_The story isn’t about you! It’s about Prince Zayn and Harry!_

“It might as well be! We’re the ones who actually went out and _did_ something with our lives, innit.”

_But that’s not the point of the story, is it._

“Will ya just get on with it?”

Once Harry stopped living with his head in the clouds, he finds out Liam and Louis’ grand plans.

“So it’s a godfather service? I don’t really get it.”

“Of course you don’t, you were the worst godson I’ve ever helped,” Niall said, crossing his arms. He was in a vest and loose bottoms this time around. Harry actually hadn’t seen him in a suit at all since the ball. 

“We’re godfathers you can hire out. We help you make your dreams come true, basically,” Liam said happily. He watched as Louis wrote something down. “If you’ve got a problem that needs a bit of magic and the touch of some life experts—”

“What makes you life experts again?”

“Hush.”

“Anyway,” Louis said loudly, giving Harry the stink eye. “We’re going to go about the Kingdom offering our services—”

“Or maybe we’ll just be travelling minstrels, that sounds sort of fun, too.”

“Everything sounds fun to you, Niall,” Louis said with a sigh.

Harry frowned. “Well I don’t quite get it, but I do wish you luck.”

Louis, Liam and Niall _did_ travel the Kingdom, but their godfather-for-hire services weren’t as popular as they had hoped. Instead, they became travelling minstrels. Harry and Zayn joined them, sometimes, and they all became much closer as friends, and they _all_ lived happily ever after.


End file.
